shiva

Hi folks, just popped in from the Middle East side for a little advice and any tips if you are willing to share.
I will of course also have a good search through past threads.

So we are off to Italy for 2 weeks in 6 days time......
Rome, Todi, Venice.

Any must sees, must dos, avoid like hell tips? and any "nobody goes but its fantastic" places?

Also car hire from Rome, any companies you'd recommend beyond the usual giants?

Thanks
Chris

Garbatellamike

Hi Chris,

car hire is best done with the usual suspects imho.

If you have a car then I would recommend a trip up to Tivoli to see Hadrian's summer residence (Villa Adriana) and the hanging gardens of Tivoli (Villa D'Este).

A day trip to Orvieto is also recommended.

The don'ts:

1. If you can see a momument from a cafe/restaurant don't eat there go back a block or 2 and the price will be lower and the food quality higher.

2. Don't just turn up at the Coloseum or Vatican Museums and queue for a ticket as it will take hours (pre-book on line).

3. Don't take you eyes off your handbags/wallets in the tourist area and watch out for distractions (crying babies etc).

4. Don't miss the opportunity to go and see Ostia Antica.

any questions just ask away.

shiva

brilliant thanks for that.

garfagnino

Yuo may be interested to have a look at this site:-

Touring Club | Viaggi, comunità, territori

It's a non profit organisation and they currently have a discount scheme with Hertz car rentals.
Enjoy your visit!

Seldomseenkid

In Rome Villa Borghese, but take a guided tour unless you are already an expert, and eat in the Jewish Ghetto. In Venice just take a vaparetto and go both ways along the Grand Canal.

37100

And you can cross the Grand Canal in gondola -standing only- €2.

shiva

thanks folks

BRIAN 1

hi,better still buy a 1 day travel pass and hop on and off vaperettos all day,cheers,brian.

Vikki985

Lago di Garda is amazing

Pulaski

Wear good walking shoes and be prepared for a lot of walking in Venice because there is a huge amount to explore in Venice that is accessible on foot. It is also very compact and, aside from the numerous bridges, entirely flat.

BRIAN 1

hi,yes most of venice is doable on foot but there are a few islands with attractions ie. the glass blowing place etc.we stayed in lido di jesolo last year.i called it the "skegy" of italy with a fantastic beach and hundreds of restaurants.with the 1 day pass we got bus to punta sabiano and then ferry to san marco,unlimited vaperatos all day and then back again for 20 or 30 odd euros,i forget the exact figure.if the op fancied a chill out on beach one day they could do this in reverse.cheers,brian.

Lorna at Vicenza

And don't throw away your plastic bottle when it's empty. Keep it and fill it up from the drinking fountains. Buy a cheap bottle of water at the supermarket and keep the bottle. A small bottle of water from a bar or street kiosk will cost 2 euro. Rip off.

Pulaski

I agree about the islands, Murano and Burano are definitely worth a visit (assuming you are in Venice for more than one day). Torcello really depends on your appetite for seeing old chuches. But in any case, the advice to wear comfortable walking shoes applys equally well to visiting these three islands - and especially Torcello. You can take tours to all three, or catch ferries between them yourself.

Unless you like Blackpool or Scarborough (or Skegness), I would skip Lido de Jesolo. It is a cheap place to stay and commute into Venice though.

Work Widow

Hi, also from Middle East planning on travel into Italy very soon. I am having anxiety over car hire and international driving permit. Getting conflicting information.

We have Saudi driving license and Australian license, resident in Bahrain, is a IDP absolutely imperative for car hire in Italy?

Would appreciate clarification of this?

Cheers